Tipping for luggage drop off

[3CatsInMA]

Crazy system. Just hand everyone a $100 note.

 

I hope to meet you some day!;):D

[Johnamac123]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Both makes perfect sense, especially the shuttle driver since that service is comped. Port luggage staff will get at least an equal tip for their services. Thanks again.

[STEVE-O]

You tip the shuttle driver. You bribe the porter.

[emeraldcity]

You tip the shuttle driver. You bribe the porter.

 

 

Best response

[time4u2go]

My guess... it doesn't make any difference. I'm sure if some porter got caught tossing bags into the ocean the excuse of "that person didn't give me a tip" wouldn't fly in court. I think the porter may be a little disgruntled and say a few color metaphors about you while taking your bags to the same place they'd take them otherwise. As you noted, once on in the queue how would they know which people tipped and which didn't.

 

That doesn't mean tipping is wrong. We all know these guys work hard and part of their compensation is assumed from tips. We have the choice whether or not to tip them or how much or to just not tip at all.

 

Of course, if the job is not worth it and the porters quit, we may end up in the long run dragging our luggage on board ourselves. I, for one, don't mind paying a few $$$ to not have to bring my suitcases all the way to my room.

 

Tom

Luggage handles have been known to show up broken after being handled by non-tipped porters.

[Baron Barracuda]

Last month in Miami as driver was removing our bags from trunk of taxi porter approached, looked at bags and said "you can tip me now". Wanted to tell him where to go, but had vision of our bags floating behind ship. So bit my tongue and gave him $5. Wrote it off as luggage insurance. Still watched to ensure that our bags made it safely onto cart. Pure extortion.

[papaflamingo]

 

I have a question. How much do you guys usually tip the porters? Do you do it by the bag of just a set amount (I'm assuming the $100 suggestion was sarcasm).

 

It's totally up to you. I tip extremely well (not $100). We always have heavy bags and personally I don't get all bent out of shape over tipping. We usually do around $20-$30 for 6 bags. Now... coming home... we tip extremely well depending. Our last cruise the Porters were hard to come by. The guy came back, and took our luggage all the way to the car and loaded it. Above and beyond. He was highly compensated. Saved me time and effort. Also took him away for a long time. He was cheerful and volunteered to take it all the way to the parking lot (the overflow lot) and load it. So.. he earned it. But again, it's up to you.

[Thoie]

Many of you have said you tip the porter because you want your bags to get to your room in one piece. What happens if you don't tip? Are the bags chalk marked so everyone knows you didn't tip? Do the porters sent your luggage to the "gorilla" room where luggage is tossed and banged around until the zipper breaks and the tags are gone? Is it put in the I-FLY for the crew's entertainment?

 

Seriously, what happens?

 

You tip the shuttle driver. You bribe the porter.

 

I've turned up in Fort Lauderdale a few times with no US dollars, or else nothing smaller than a $50, and therefore not tipped the porters, and my suitcases have always turned up OK at my cabin. The first time I didn't even realise that I'd be expected to tip. The second time I intended tipping, but didn't manage to get any small notes. I apologised to the porter as I was handing over my bags, and he didn't seem phased at all - we had a chat for a while, then I headed in, and my suitcase turned up pretty quickly.

 

None of them are going to refuse a tip, but neither have I experienced them deliberately damaging or delaying luggage if you don't.

[Mapleleafforever]

Both, and let both know exactly which bags are yours.

[Surfguyxxx]

We usually go with 2 bags each so I give $10 to the porter. I've heard horror stories and don't want to even think about not having my luggage. I usually bring a folded up duffle bag with me for the dirty laundry so we end up with about 6 pieces coming off with newly bought items and of course liquor. We usually have the porter put it on a cart and have him carry it out with us. Now it's $20 or so. I figure you're on a cruise vacation; spread the wealth as they say.

[dedosr]

I'm taking a hotel shuttle (complimentary) over to Port Everglades. Who do I tip for handling my luggage, the shuttle driver (assuming he takes my luggage off) or the Port luggage handlers checking my luggage in, or both?

 

Both!!

[sprky]

Both!

[Ocean Dancer]

Luggage handles have been known to show up broken after being handled by non-tipped porters.

 

We have had wheels broken even with a good tip. Sometimes things just happen.

[Stormy15]

In Galveston this past August, the porter told us, and many others, to take our bags into the building and place them with tons of other bags. That was the first cruise that someone didn't actually take our bags from us. Very unusual but the bags made it to our cabin just fine.

 

 

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[Garavar]

This is an interesting tip thread, and amazing civilized.

 

I have a question. How much do you guys usually tip the porters? Do you do it by the bag of just a set amount (I'm assuming the $100 suggestion was sarcasm).

 

I've been on cruises where a porter comes out to the car/bus and gets the luggage from you to take it to the terminal and other cruises where we drag it up in a line and just had it over and they just put it on a big rack. In the latter cases I never know who to tip because there is usually a guy at the head of the line and a bunch of other guys actually doing the luggage handling.

 

There doesn't seem to be any norm!

 

Tom

 

$5 per bag is what I give, makes me feel better about how the bag will be treated.

 

 

 

 

 

You're tipping the shuttle driver for the ride (which takes a credible amount of time out of a given hour) ... and he doesn't make much and is probably pretty congenial, so it's a pleasant exchange on both sides.

 

You're tipping the port worker for overseeing the tiny task of moving your luggage to a cart that someone else will take on board and someone else will stage to the appropriate deck and someone else will move to the hall outside your cabin ... and he is likely a well paid union worker who may or may not be of pleasant countenance.

 

Guess which one gets a better tip from me.

 

Both but especially the Porter if you don't want your bag to go for a swim.

[ColoradoGurl]

This is an interesting tip thread, and amazing civilized.

 

I have a question. How much do you guys usually tip the porters? Do you do it by the bag of just a set amount (I'm assuming the $100 suggestion was sarcasm).

 

I've been on cruises where a porter comes out to the car/bus and gets the luggage from you to take it to the terminal and other cruises where we drag it up in a line and just had it over and they just put it on a big rack. In the latter cases I never know who to tip because there is usually a guy at the head of the line and a bunch of other guys actually doing the luggage handling.

 

There doesn't seem to be any norm!

 

Tom

 

I usually tipnthe shuttle or taxi driver $5, then I give $5 to the porter for a bag or two. If we have 3 or 4 I give $10. Last cruise I gave $10 for 2 bags and a case of bottled water. Then on the way off the cruise, I gave a porter $40 because I was paying for our 2 bags plus the 4 bags of my friends (so 6 bags). He was getting us through a line faster than waiting so part of that $40 was for that part of his service. $20 probably would have been sufficient though.

[waldorf]

We stayed at a hotel pre-cruise in New York, when we arrived at the port, one of the porters got on the coach and basically hinted that if we wanted to see our luggage again he would require $5 from each passenger.

 

Most Europeans are not fully tuned into the intense tipping culture of North America, we often sail from Barcelona, we once got off the coach, a porter took our cases, we tipped and then he proceeded to carry the cases all of 10 feet where he handed them to a cruise line employee. We don't tip the driver or the porters in Europe and I don't think it is that unusual.

 

We tip in the US, probably not as much as the locals, but this is mainly due to a fear of what will happen to our luggage, not because we feel the service warrants it.

[STEVE-O]

We stayed at a hotel pre-cruise in New York, when we arrived at the port, one of the porters got on the coach and basically hinted that if we wanted to see our luggage again he would require $5 from each passenger.

 

Most Europeans are not fully tuned into the intense tipping culture of North America, we often sail from Barcelona, we once got off the coach, a porter took our cases, we tipped and then he proceeded to carry the cases all of 10 feet where he handed them to a cruise line employee. We don't tip the driver or the porters in Europe and I don't think it is that unusual.

 

We tip in the US, probably not as much as the locals, but this is mainly due to a fear of what will happen to our luggage, not because we feel the service warrants it.

 

The last sentence says it all!....and is probably the #1 reason any of tip someone who handles our bags for all of 45 seconds. What A Scam. I wish the cruise lines could provide the luggage handlers. I'd be much happier tipping them as I know how hard they work for us on board, too!

[Havingfun2010]

I'm missing something. Did you leave your luggage sitting on the sidewalk unwatched? Or did your shuttle driver load your luggage up and take it into the building? If he drove, unloaded and then delivered your luggage to the ship, he deserved a nice tip.

 

 

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Not for the poster you are quoting but for myself. A bunch of porters were standing around, and I removed my bags, and when none came to the curb, I threw the bags on the cart. Note the porter you see does not deliver the bag to the ship, the fork lift driver does. All he does is put it on the cart. He makes 80,000.00 a year plus tips.

[Langley Cruisers]

This thread makes me so sad. Never once in all our cruises has a porter stood there with his hand open, threatened us, or outright asked for a tip. Every one of them we have dealt with has been pleasant and usually returns a smile to us when we smile first and thank them for their help.

 

I'm sure it happens... but I have to say that a lot of the time, people pick up on your attitude, and give it right back to you (good and bad).

[looking4info]

Are you sure you've actually taken a cruise? :confused::confused::confused:

 

Come on... of course she has. How else would she be able to provide all the inaccurate, outdated information in her posts.;):rolleyes:

[looking4info]

This thread makes me so sad. Never once in all our cruises has a porter stood there with his hand open, threatened us, or outright asked for a tip. Every one of them we have dealt with has been pleasant and usually returns a smile to us when we smile first and thank them for their help.

 

I'm sure it happens... but I have to say that a lot of the time, people pick up on your attitude, and give it right back to you (good and bad).

 

Miami...July 2010...hand out, asked for tip and advised he was the one who would get the bags on the ship. Asked if he was suppose to be soliciting. He got a bit angry and said never mind. Bags ended up on the ship but without luggage tags. Had to track them down. Wonder how they lost their tags?:confused: Must have been my attitude:eek:

[ewenix]

Of course, if the job is not worth it and the porters quit, we may end up in the long run dragging our luggage on board ourselves. I, for one, don't mind paying a few $$$ to not have to bring my suitcases all the way to my room.

 

I would like the option actually. Let me choose to 'self-embark' or use the porters.

Some of the time I would like to have my luggage in the room as soon as I get there.

Other times I don't care if it doesn't show up until right before dinner.

Edited April 26, 2016 by ewenix
Does anyone actually read these?

[Ocean Dancer]

I would like the option actually. Let me choose to 'self-embark' or use the porters.

Some of the time I would like to have my luggage in the room as soon as I get there.

Other times I don't care if it doesn't show up until right before dinner.

 

You have that option now. As long as your luggage fits through the scanners you may carry on what you can handle.

[Bouillon123]

Ah yes. The old "tipping is not required" notices which are plastered around the luggage drop off area. In sharp contrast to the people loading the carts who leave you in no doubt that tipping is most definitely required :)

 

Compare that to Southampton UK where the people loading the luggage carts which take bags to the ship are too busy doing their job to hang around scrounging for tips.

 

The result is a fast and efficient transit through the port. Friendly and efficient security staff who don't equate length of queue to level of protection. No one on a power trip, just folks working together to get the job done.

 

We gave up cruising mainstream lines out of the US a long time ago. US - 0, Rest of the World - 1. Thankfully you have such a strong and vibrant economy you don't need the tourist dollar :)

 

Henry :)

 

Can't agree more.